Review of BumGenius Organic
One Size Diaper

I have tried lots of diapers and while I know cloth diapers have many benefits, I've been unable to commit to them. I tried pre-folds, but without a serious plan for cleaning and storing soiled diapers, I went back to disposables.

However, after hearing great reviews from friends and OBR readers about BumGenius Organic one size diapers, I contacted CottonBabies about doing a featured review. I thought if I tried them and approached cloth diapering with the right attitude, that they could work for me.

You'll find out if that's the case here:

Features to Love

• The inside of the diapers are soft, like organic cotton should be.
• The waterproof, polyester exterior is also surprisingly soft.
• The diapers have lots of snaps (not velcro like pictured) to adjust to multiple body sizes (from 8 to 35 lbs.). I like the snaps because they allow for a contour fit. My daughter should actually be on her way out of diapers at 25 months, but can still fit them.
• While the diapers are bulkier than disposables, they are not as bulky as other cloth diapers we've tried. In other words, the bubble butt effect is not overwhelming. While the bulge might be more apparent super snug leggings, the diapers don't seem to alter the appearance of most of my daughter's outfits.
• Each diaper comes with instructional literature on how to use and wash. To ensure absorbency, you must wash the diapers 3 - 5 times in hot water, using a bit of detergent and allowing them to dry in between washes. Unfortunately I didn't read these instructions before starting, and can tell you that If you don't do this, you will have pee-pee everywhere.
  
  Also we were having a little trouble with the hot water valve at the time, but the diapers still came out okay.
• When washed properly, the diapers hold quite a bit of liquid without leak-throughs!
• I like that the diaper is all one piece - no inserts or covers required. It's really as easy as putting on a disposable. You snap it on the sides to fit your little one.

Room For Improvement

• As I mentioned earlier, the diapers require quite a bit of preparatory washing to work. I don't know how or if this could be avoided, but I guess the upside is I KNOW they are clean when my baby finally gets to wear them.
• The diapers are thick and take a while to dry at first. By a while, I mean at least two, maybe three drying sessions even when you dry it alone. However, I found the problem corrected itself once the diaper was adequately "broken in".
• The diaper instructions require specific detergents. I've actually heard conflicting information in the cloth diapering community about the necessity of special detergents for cloth diapers.
  
  Some people swear by the traditional detergents. Regardless, I'd use a detergent that is compatible for my machine and minimizes chemical exposure to my baby.
• Extra precautions (i.e. disposables or a soaker insert) need to be taken overnight. We tried once, and my daughter woke up with wet pajama bottoms and sheets.

The Bottom Line

As excited as I was to get my sample BumGenius Organic one size diaper, I had no idea my washing machine would break shortly after receiving it. This made me glad I wasn't knee deep in a cloth diapering situation and question my sanity for wanting to try it again.

Nevertheless, I persevered and had a pleasant experience once I got the diaper washed sufficiently. When my daughter soiled the diaper, we had no leak-through.

After all is said and done, I like Bumgenius Organic one size diapers and would like to make a larger investment in them for my next child. After spending two years in disposable diapers, I know the cloth diapers will more than pay for themselves and give my little one a soft, and chemical free diapering experience.

Having said that, I encourage you to try one or two before making a large cloth diaper investment in any particular brand. And as I said in the how to choose organic diapers article, I would work out a plan for cleaning poopy diapers before getting started. For me that means getting a sprayer and some wet bags for storing dirty diapers.

Where to Find Them: You can find BumGenius Organic One Size Diapers at one of our partner stores, www.bananapeelsdiapers.com.

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